The Arizona sentinel., 1887-12-03
STRANGE INDIAN DANCE.
Visitors TO the ArapahOe Reservation Take
Part in tho Amusement.

sIsitors to tno ArapanOe heSerVaClOh Adho
Part In the Amusement.
The night Of my arrival at Fort Reno
was bright and clear. The garrison
was strong; the Indians wera held well
in check. / was not troubled with
fears for personal safety. A noise of
voices and drums foated through the
still night air from the tepees several
miles away. Mr.. Curtis, one of tho
fort scouts. saddled couple of horses,
and after supper we galloped across
the level prairie in the moonlight to
attend an Arapahoe dance.
On reaching the village we singled
out the tepee whence issued the noise
Of drums and voices. and crawling
through the door. q hole in the canvas
about three feet high, found ourselves
among thirty or forty painted bucks
aud squaws. The squaws were hud-
died on the ground in one corner #
the tcpee; in the opposite corner
crouched the painted braves. An old
drum was on the ground in the center
of the tepee; around it squatted six
men Justify beating the drum and at
the same time bawling at the top of
their powerful lungs. No notice was
taken of our entrance. We quietly
placed ourselves in the braves corner.
Presently a squaw arose and with
kind of reeling motion advanced to-
ward us. She glanced moment at
row of bucks, then tapped one on the
head; he arose and stool in silence.
The squaw scanned again the faces
before her. She seemed about 10 tap
me on the shoulder, but hesitated and
finally bestowed her favor upon Mr..
Curtis. He arose to his feet; the
squaw placed herself between her two
partners, her face looking in the op-
posite direction from which they
looked; then putting her arm around
the two mems neckS all three began
springing up and down, bowling in
concert with the howls of the men
beating the drum.
Other squaws came forward, select
ed partners, and joined in the strange
dance. congratulated myself on
being wall flower, but my self-con-
gratulations were premature, for
when the row of braves was pretty
well thinned out kind-hearted maid
took pity on my loneliness and
tapped me on the head. Her other
partner was a villianious-lo looking
Indian. who could doubtless have run
all day without firing. Ger
tainly the springy motion, which
was excessively fatiguing to
me, did not seem to pc ase him. Moka
r llftrack-that was the name of my
squaw partner-was unsparing in the
looks of contempt she bestowed on the
tender paleface from the East.
At the conclusion of the dance, af-
ter springing up and down until COM
pletely exhausted. my partner did a
singular thing-she turned and gave
me kiss square on the mouth. Isub-
mitted with what seemed to me very
good grace indeed, but Moka never
theless gave me another savage look. !
abruptly removing her arm from .
around my neck and retreatcd to her
corner. apparently disguised as weii
as offended. My oflense, as subse- I
quently learned, lay in not transmit
ting from my mouth to hers, when she
kissed me, some bead or other trinket, as
is customary. Mr.. Curtis. who was ac- !
-. - - Within. custom. transferred
20 his partner h~ KISS O. bright Iue
bead and 50 came ogl OF the uance
with as much ecIat as though he we're
real Indian instead Of q mere Indian
scout CgSmopOutGL